Energy and Radiation 

Sunrise over South America
Courtesy NASA

Solar radiation is the source of energy that drives most environmental processes acting at the surface of the Earth. The  spatial variation of energy affects the spatial variation of temperature, wind, and moisture which determine the geography of soils, vegetation, climate and landforms. The awesome power of hurricanes is driven by the heating of water and subsequent heat release during condensation. Unequal heating of the Earth's surface creates wind that heaps sand into great dunes.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the chapter you should be able to:

• Compare and contrast energy, heat and temperature.
• Define sun angle, solar declination, daylength, and describe their geographical variation through the seasons.
• Calculate the noon sun angle for any latitude on the solstices and equinoxes.
• Explain the global pattern of insolation, net radiation, sensible heat and latent heat.

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